His Happy Place
by Suffering Angel
Summary: Being a Young Avenger doesn't help real-life issues. When Billy's beaten up simply for being yet again, though, he's reminded that it gave him the best boyfriend in the world, and that's good enough for him.


I don't own YA.

A/N: Present for kaciart over on tumblr

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**_Happy Place_**

Teddy knew something was off when Billy didn't call him earlier. The two had long since adapted a habit of calling each other as soon as school was out, even if only to exchange no more than several words. Occasionally they would text each other instead, but never without trying to call first.  
That day there was no missed call notice to accompany Billy's text message, the contents of which were unnervingly distant and obscure. Something came up and he wouldn't be able to meet Teddy after his practice - that was it.  
Needless to say Teddy had more important things to tend to than the basketball team right then, especially when Billy failed to answer any further attempts to reach him.  
The worst part of it was that Teddy wasn't sure if to be grateful Billy wasn't hiding how bad things were (in his own special way), or to mourn things were bad enough for Billy to be honest about it.

There was an ice pack pressed against Billy's face when Teddy walked into the room.  
The mage was awkwardly altering between ignoring _it_ and _Teddy_ as each made it easier to pretend nothing was wrong in his or its own way.  
Teddy wasn't fond of being ignored, least of all by his boyfriend, and he placed himself on the bed where Billy was lying before reaching to take his hand. He was awarded a tired smile for his efforts before Billy looked away, his brown eyes dim and occasionally filling with tears he suppressed with trained expertise. Every last attempt he made to examine Billy's face was insistingly thwarted, however, and Teddy let out a heavy sigh.  
It was one of those days.

It took no small amount of coaxing on Teddy's side, but Billy finally let him pull him up to a sitting position. Teddy noted the way the other winced and tried not to visualize the bruises no doubt hidden under his clothes. He also refrained from reaching for that ice-pack, instead resting his fingertips on Billy's healthy - or at least, health_ier_cheek. It was the gentlest of touches with Teddy applying just enough pressure to maintain actual skin-to-skin contact. He rested his fingers against Billy's face when the other tilted his head at him, and properly caressed his cheek when finally Billy looked at him.  
It was a pathetic look; a miserable look. It was helpless, and pleading, and Teddy felt his heart tear to shreds in his chest. He did the only thing he could think of, and the only thing he knew that would work -  
He smiled.

"Hey." Teddy greeted in a soft voice, one he hoped conveyed half the affection and care he intended it to. It worked, apparently, as the shadow of a smile passed over Billy's lips and Teddy was awed at how just that made him feel that much better. And infinitely more so, what came next.

"Hi." Billy breathed out and smiled again despite it all when Teddy's smile widened.  
Teddy's hand moved from Billy's cheek to his hair, his fingers trailing gently, carefully over Billy's scalp. For a moment the teen enjoyed the treatment before finally sighing. He offered Teddy a somewhat apologetic smile.

"I'm not hurt _there_."

"Ok." Teddy hummed in an almost matter-of-fact manner, as though to convey that wasn't an issue. His touch became more present despite it, and Billy leaned quite eagerly, needily even into the affectionate touch.

Lulled back slowly into a sense of security, Billy didn't resist when Teddy took hold of his wrist and pulled his hand, along with the ice pack, away from his face. He didn't resist - simply braced himself.

Teddy's expression remained as it was for the most part minus the smile as he assessed the damage. Truth be told? It was worse than he feared. Most of that side of Billy's face was a bruise that changed colors in a disturbing manner. His lips were swollen and a trail of dry blood ran from his nose to his chin, obviously left to dry because it hurt too much to clean it off.

Billy knew it hurt just to look at him, just as he knew better than to think Teddy was taking this well. He recognized that twitching of his lower lip, and knew that Teddy was biting on the inside of it, probably hard enough to make it bleed. That morbid thought itself absurdly made Billy relax further and he ended up smiling at Teddy.  
To think he'd be worried about someone else when he was in his condition…  
Of course, it was easy to worry less about himself when Teddy was doing enough of that for the both of them, Billy thought and let his eyes close when Teddy kissed his forehead.  
If Teddy did harm himself it already healed, leaving him free to spread tiny, cautious kisses over Billy's face. He kept mostly to the healthier side but after a short pause he brushed his lips under Billy's eye, right where the bruise began to form. He pulled away at the pained gasp Billy let out and gritted his teeth.

Someone would pay. Someone _had_to pay. But there would be a time and place for that - later. Right then Teddy was too busy hugging Billy as gently as he could, his arms more held up in the air than actually resting against Billy's body. What Billy needed then was more than vengeance, and Teddy would be damned if he didn't give it to him.

"Hey-" Teddy whispered against Billy's ear and let his cheek rest against Billy's healthy one.  
"You_ know_, right?" He asked, his voice carrying with it everything he knew not how else to convey. "Or should I say it?"

The question lingered in the air for a long moment. Billy weighed his options, thought about how nice it would be to hear those words, to be reassured like this, but he ended up shaking his head. Everything Teddy did, everything that _radiated_ at him since he walked into the room… what else could it be?  
"No, I'm fine." Billy replied and rested his chin over Teddy's shoulder. "Unless… _you_want to hear it?"

He did, actually, but Teddy knew that wasn't the time to worry about him.  
"I'm fine. But how about we-" He trailed off when he pulled back, only to end up staring in amazement at the last remains of a faint blue glow. When it was gone, Billy appeared to be healthy again, albeit still a bit messy. Teddy had to admit he wasn't surprised. He knew Billy could do that - he just needed to _want_it badly enough. And if Teddy couldn't take care of him, he could at least make Billy do it - if only for Teddy's sake.

For a moment more they remained silent before Teddy reached for the previously wounded cheek.  
"…how about we go get you cleaned up?" At least that he could still do for him, Teddy thought and wondered if it wasn't intentional. After all, his boyfriend could've easily taken care of that, too…

Billy on his part wondered if Teddy would ever realize how much he's already done for him, and kept doing with every breath he took.

"Only if you're gentle."

"I'll _try_."

"Tease."


End file.
